investments in infrastructure, which we desperately need after hurricane -- or we call it super storm sandy that hit new york, that hit new jersey, that hit connecticut, that hit delaware, that hit maryland. we now see that our infrastructure has to be what we call hardened, made stronger. we can do that if we invest in our people. so, madam president, the president has offered a very clear plan that takes us off the fiscal cliff that is fair. we have 27 days to do the right thing. the senate already passed the tax cuts for 98% of the people. all we're asking is for the house to do that, match us. then we can get back to the table and figure out a way to soften the blow of the automatic spending cuts. we could look at tax reform. and i want to just say this about tack reform. when our colleagues complain about tax rates and say well, we would rather close loopholes, watch out. in order to raise the kind of funds we need to raise to lower this deficit, you're looking at the two biggest --quote, unquote -- deductions. one is for your mortgage and one is for charitable, and i would ask rhetori